FootGolf gets a foothold at Olde Homestead

Olde Homestead Golf Club first course in area to offer a sport that combines soccer with golf.

July 01, 2014|Mark Wogenrich

Jayson Boushell sat in meetings in New York last weekend while his family texted photos from the golf course. Cruel enough, sure.

What made Boushell sigh even further was the game they played. At Olde Homestead Golf Club, soccer enthusiasts kicked their way across the golf course, trying to make par with a regulation No. 5 soccer ball. And, in some cases, wearing argyle socks.

Boushell's kids were playing FootGolf, and he couldn't wait to try.

"I enjoy golf, but I'm lucky to get out once a year, and it's not something you can really do with the family," said Boushell, a New Tripoli resident who coaches soccer at the Northwestern Youth Athletic Association. "My kids are 14, 12, 10 and 8, and this is something we can do together."

FootGolf, a self-explanatory game that combines soccer and golf, has arrived in the Lehigh Valley thanks in part to Boushell's suggestion and Olde Homestead's penchant for trying new things. The New Tripoli course, among the area's first to feature GPS systems and "four-hour Friday" rounds, now is the first to host the hybrid game.

Olde Homestead has designed a 1,118-yard, par-29 FootGolf course on its nine-hole short course, which allows golfers and FootGolfers to play at the same time. FootGolfers play from different tees and to 21-inch cups on separate greens. The course, which entertained its first players last weekend, will hold its grand opening this weekend.

So far, Olde Homestead golf teaching pro Tim Miller said, golfers haven't complained about soccer balls rolling across their lies. And folks without the time or inclination to devote a half-day to golf can get their kick on in about an hour.

"FootGolf appeals to a demographic that golf doesn't normally appeal to," Olde Homestead General Manager Justin Smith said. "There are a lot of youth soccer players in the area, and this is a way to draw new people to the golf course."

Boushell, who has coached youth soccer for a dozen years, read about FootGolf and thought it would be a good way to help his players train. So he approached Smith about possibly carving out some time to bring his players to the course.

Smith then researched youth-sports participation in the area, learning that more than 30 percent of Lehigh Valley kids play soccer, while about 6 percent play golf. Since the closest FootGolf courses were in White Haven, Luzerne County, and High Bridge, N.J., Smith saw an untapped market of youth soccer players (and their families) who might be interested in visiting a golf course.

Olde Homestead's staff added the FootGolf tees and greens in about three months. There are two sets of tees (professional and amateur) and separate flags for the FootGolf holes.

Though the game's idea is simple, its execution isn't. FootGolf rules require players to kick in one motion, prohibiting them from pushing the ball with the top or bottom of the foot. Olde Homestead's hilly short course can cause soccer balls to roll off-target easily. The first time he played the par-3 first hole, Smith made an eight.

"I was just amazed at where I thought the ball was going and where it actually ended up," he said.

Since being introduced in California three years ago, FootGolf has expanded to more than 160 golf courses across the country. It has an official body, the American FootGolf League, that is sanctioned by the Federation for International FootGolf.

The FIFG sponsors an annual World Cup, and the AFGL plans a U.S. national championship in 2015. Both organizations hope the sport can be introduced into the Olympics.

Among FootGolf's essentials is that it's played on regulation golf courses, either nine or 18 holes. The AFGL asks players to respect golf-course dress codes and encourages them to wear collared shirts and argyle socks (but no soccer cleats). For tournaments, the argyle socks are required.

At Olde Homestead, FootGolfers share the course with regular golfers and can make tee times. Miller said golfers so far have welcomed the newcomers, whose pace of play is 60-75 minutes for nine holes. Golfers and FootGolfers also can play together in the same group, a selling point for adults bringing kids.

"First and foremost, we're a golf course," Smith said. "We don't want to alienate our customers, but we think this fits in with our course completely. I compare it to skiers and snowboarders. They'll try the other but stick with what they like more."

As a soccer coach, Boushell said FootGolf is perfect for teaching his young players how to strike long balls and learn touch in a creative way. They also benefit from the social component of golf. In the next few weeks, Boushell plans to take his soccer team to a golf course for its season-ending party.

"I can totally understand where some serious golfers might question it," Boushell said. "But I don't think this disrupts the golf course at all. I think it enhances it."

WHAT IS FOOTGOLF?

Just as it sounds, FootGolf combines golf and soccer into a game played on golf courses. Kick the soccer ball into an oversized cup. Simple, right? Yes, but the American FootGolf League has compiled a list of rules governing play. A sampling: